The Chicago Organizer - Terri Albert’s Tips

Clutter-free living. Many satisfied clients.
TERRI’S ORGANIZING VIGNETTE: MARCH 2018

5 Surprising, Helpful Principles For Getting Organized
Finally, tidying tips you can actually use.
by Markham Heid, December 12, 2017
This is a great article readers. I’ll summarize in case you can’t read it in its entirety.

Wait until you purge and organize before you go out and buy organizing containers. You might find you can repurpose bins/baskets you already own. Or, you and your Professional Organizer (hopefully me!) will find a matching theme of an aesthetic design of organizing items that are also functional to help you with the new system of organization we’ve created. Your long-term success with staying organized (ie. maintenance) is the most important!

Shop in your closets/pantry/drawers/cupboards first before you go to the store. Most people have so many items they don’t remember all they have. You might very well already have a short sleeved black shirt you haven’t needed to wear in literally a year, and now you do. Shop your closet like you’re at a clothing store. It takes a lot of effort to rotate your clothes (think the 80/20 rule — and call me if you want an explanation of what that is.) And please also go shopping in your pantry to make dinner before heading to the grocery store. I’ll bet there are plenty of canned goods and pastas, sauces, vegetables, etc to prepare a meal. I know this to be true because I myself need to make myself use up my pantry items before they expire before loading up at the grocery store!

It takes a mental shift to part with items that are perfectly fine — but you have moved on and replaced them with newer items. When you donate them, know they’ll go to a new home who will appreciate them (clothing, coats, kitchen items, electronics, and whatever else you’re parting with.) If you want, get a group of friends together IF you won’t be adding to your friends’ clutter and pass along your items to them directly.

Organize in small chunks ON A REGULAR BASIS to stay organized. Plan for once a week at a certain time to get “back to baseline” and tackle larger projects that will take several attempts to achieve.

I always talk to my clients about PRIME REAL ESTATE. This is a zoning concept — especially in your kitchen, closets, bathroom. If you use a certain cutting board or bowl or knife or measuring cup, then it should be easy to get to with no stress attached. I’ve really achieved this in my new kitchen. I practice what I preach and it really makes sense!

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